I'm considering a purchase of a w116 that I probably shouldn't be messing with. But the combination of a gambler's price and excellent body/interior condition are making me think twice.

The car starts quickly but runs very rough (as if misfiring) and smokes like it has a sponsorship from Phillip Morris. It has enough power to tool around a parking lot, but I didn't dare get it on the road. Its current owner (and my locale in general) favors American cars and has no use for a "furrin' jobber."

He says it was a daily driver until it started showing minor signs of missing (vibration, rough idle, etc.) He took it in for a compression check (probably to a "furrin'" hatin' mechanic) and found one cyl testing just slightly low. When he got it back from the mechanic it was running as it is now, and he gave up. He suspects the mechanic may have misconnected the spark cables or injector wiring, but that sounds like too simple a solution.

For the price he's asking, I can afford to spend a few thousand with a (trusted) local MB wrencher to get the car on the road. But I've heard that these '70s 8's can be pricey to fix when things start going bad.

It's a tough call. The body and interior show that the car has been extremely well cared for through the years, and the seller assured me there are no bottom-end problems (for what that's worth). My inclination is to walk away, but from what I've been reading in this forum it could be something as simple as a stuck injector. I'd even be happy if it required "only" a valve job, but I can't afford to get into a rebuild.

Your thoughts?

Generally speaking I don't believe in project cars. I prefer to buy a good total package. This might have to do with the fact that I haven't had cars as a hobby for at least twenty years.

If you plan to pay someone else to do most of the work there isn't much you can do within the value of that car.

With that said, I must say that I have a special place for 73 450SE' I learned MB on that car as thats when I started working at the MB dealer. I have worked continuously on MBs ever since and I have yet to see a 450 motor wore out. I have seen them broke and destroyed by abuse, but I have never seen one wore out. The motor in question probably needs a valve job to repair worn guides and seals. If you take the front of the motor apart at the same time the bill will aproach the value of the car. (which is a real variable but realistically around 3 grand; after you get it fixed for 3 grand).

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

Yeah Steve, those old iron v-8s just never die. I've seen people beat the snot out of them break timing chains, run 'em outta oil, etc,,,but also have NEVER seen an old 4.5 or 3.5 just wear out.

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Chasmo,

I agree with the comments made so far. The old 4.5 V8 is almost undestructible.

How many miles on this car? If over 200K it might need valve guides etc... to cure the smoke/missing problem.

This car has the Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection system which is tricky to set up right. I would start checking the fuel injection first. The Bosch fuel injection manual might come in handy as there are a lot of sensors to check. The computer for the FI is on the pansenger side foot well behind the vertical carpeted cover. That's where the mixture adjustment is done, there is a little wheel you turn on the computer to make it rich/lean. A good experienced MB mechaninc is vital to get this engine with
D-Jet running at its best. Later cars 1977-on have the much simpler CIS system.
Have the car checked before you buy it. It may very well be a simple fuel injection issue and if the car is as nice as you say I'd go for it. The 73's have the small bumpers, manual a/c etc which I really like.
Let us know how it goes.
Regards,
Joe Brasileiro
1980 450SEL
1987 Jaguar XJ6

Well, I always say that with a little love, a W116 will reward you with excellent handling and a superior ride to any of the other S-Class models to date. Yeah, have some fun and go for it!

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Rgds,
Aaron Greenberg
MB technician
Mercedes-Benz of Cincinnati
'67 250SE Cabriolet
'77 450SL
'80 300SD
'85 380SE
'86 420SEL
'89 420SEL
'93 300E 2.8
'74 Jensen Interceptor Mk.III
'81 DeLorean DMC12
'84 BMW 745i Turbo

i have owned my 73 450se for over 10 years now...it responds well to a little love now and then...i mean new ignition points and the car has trigger points just below the ignition points which i clean when the car acts up, and usually fixes the problem, just don't destroy them, they are over 300$ to replace. i'd reccommend new plugs and wires and the car should be fine.